The term "English Breakfast" has a multitude of meanings, depending who and where you are. I mean, if you were a 250-lb footballer camping in the wilds of England you would want something a bit different to a little old lady, wouldn't you? Tea or coffee? Toast or fried bread? Or both? And how do you like your eggs?
Hotels here generally serve absolutely everything you can think of: bacon, fried eggs, sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms, baked beans (oh yes!), fried potatoes, fried bread. They also offer various breakfast cereals, fruit and fruit juices to start off with and, just in case you still feel peckish, a couple of slices of toast with a selection of jams, marmalades and honey. AND copious quantities of tea or coffee to wash it down with.
If you ask for a "Full English, please" you'll get the lot, and you will, by the time they bring the bacon and whatnot to you,have helped yourself to fruit juice and cereals and whatever else you can get your hands on. With any luck you will have been asked "Coffee or tea, love?" and been accordingly served a big pot.
You can ask for specific items such as "Only bacon and eggs, please" but you should only expect to receive, say, 2 bits of bacon and 1 fried egg - i.e. whatver normally comes on the plate with everything else. "It's portion control love,". As to what they did with your "portion controlled" sausage, I shouldn't bother asking!
We once went in a superb B&B (bed and breakfast) in Whitby, North Yorkshire. We were asked "What would you like for breakfast?" and handed a menu which listed what we could choose from INCLUDING smoked Salmon with scrambled eggs and fresh poached Whitby kippers. Eggs could be cooked any way at all without having to give 2 weeks notice! That's my kind of place. Go on then, I'm a snob I suppose.
15 comments:
If you think a full English breakfast contains a lot, try a full Irish one they are about twice the size!
Lots of coffee ,and scrambled eggs on toast please ,How is the tea cosy coming along? ,And I do hope you are feeling heaps better now ,take good care ..love Jan xx
Sorry to hear your have been in hospital but glad to know your are back home. As I am off on holiday on Monday your entry today just reminded me that I will be having a Full Scottish Breakfast next week much the same as a Full English with the addition of Black Pudding if you fancy it. Stuart loves it but I don't usually partake in this delicacy. Licking my lips in anticipation. Take care and look after yourself. Love Joan
I've never had poached salmon or kippers that would be something different...but I do love eggs, bacon, sausage and toast. I often have breakfast for dinner too.
I was WAITING to see the kippers mentioned. I've never had a kipper in my life, but often see them listed in literature when English Breakfasts are mentioned.
What about "rashers?" That's another thing we don't say over here, but I've seen it in English breakfast lists.
Angie - You forgot Jasper's favourite - black pudding! My choice would be buttery scrambled eggs with mushrooms and hash browns, with plenty of strong coffee and buttered toast. Our reality is somewhat different - Jasper has a Baker's Dental Stick (Beef - his "toothbrush stick") and I don't have anything!
When I was working on a TV programme, the caterers would set out big metal containers full of hot bacon & egg rolls for us to help ourselves. Sheer paradise...!
Hope you're on the mend, honeybee. R&J xxx
Love, love, LOVE the full English. My favourite part of staying in a B&B, but only if cooked properly. Now Andy has me wanting to try a full Irish! The only thing I won't eat is Black Pudding. I dare say it's an acquired taste! Me, I love fried bread. Everything else is fried so why the heck not! In for a penny in for a pound! (or two! tee hee)
Ok I need to know what Black Pudding is after reading all these comments!
Also...fried bread...is that just a slice of bread fried in butter?
Have patience with the American! hehehe :)
Bring it on! Yum!!!
Hi Angie I love a full English Breakfast ~ one of the joys of staying in a B&B ~ :O) ~ Ally x
Hope you are on the mend Angie...a cooked breakfast is one of my favourite things anytime of the day! It's one of the things I look forward to most when I'm on holiday, as I don't generally have it otherwise.
who's going to tell Keri what black pudding is?
Bagsy not me.
Although I hate the sound of it I love it (probably only eat it once a year) particularly the type that has apple in it too.
You Brits really know how to start the day with a bang!
Hello, I followed the link from Lyns blog and thought I'd stop by. I love a good old fashioned English breakfast, though you don't get them in most hotels anymore. Mostly its the cold European breakfast which I'd personally rather pass on. But I think it is possible, that the English breakfast might have been outdone by...the American breakfast. Yes! It is true, they have so much both in variety and quantity. And they serve it all day. Their pancakes, not to be beaten and their cheesey scrambled eggs, delish! Whilst I argee there are some wonderful things which are delightfully British and cannot be copied by America, we usually loose in the food category! xx
Hi Angie
We always loved the English breakfasts when we stayed at bed & breakfasts in your wonderful country!
Great to hear from you.
Hugs, Rhondi
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